Monday, September 19, 2016

BDK Carbon Concepts, N8008Z: Accident occurred September 16, 2016 near Anderson Lake Airport (0AK1), Wasilla, Alaska

Aviation Accident Final Report - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf

NTSB Identification: ANC16LA068
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, September 16, 2016 in Wasilla, AK
Probable Cause Approval Date: 09/06/2017
Aircraft: JEFFERY D TUTTLE BDK Carbon Concepts, registration: N8008Z
Injuries: 1 Serious.

NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

The commercial pilot reported that the accident flight was the first flight in the experimental, amateur-built airplane since he had completed building it. He added that, shortly after departure, while in level cruise flight, he heard a loud “pop” and immediately saw that the left wing’s leading-edge slat had buckled and distorted, which made the airplane difficult to control. While maneuvering for an emergency landing, the pilot had to make significant power adjustments to maintain control. After making a right turn to begin the approach to the airport, the right wing’s leading-edge slat failed, which resulted in an almost complete loss of airplane control. Subsequently, he guided the airplane to an open road using the rudder and varying the engine power settings. The airplane struck the top of a tree before impacting the road in a nose-low attitude, which resulted in substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage. 

Each wing was equipped with three carbon fiber leading-edge slats located center, inboard, and outboard. A detailed examination of the airframe and engine revealed that the right wing’s leading-edge slats exhibited features consistent with compression failure of the leading edge, trailing edge bond failure, lack of adhesive in the joints, and ply bridging. In addition, the right inboard slat attachment bracket exhibited deformation patterns consistent with an overload failure. The left wing leading edge slats exhibited no leading-edge damage but had signatures consistent with resin starvation. In addition, the left attachment bracket between the inboard and center slats exhibited features consistent with an adhesive failure in the joint and a disbond at the attachment. Microscopic examination of the attachment bracket revealed a lack of adhesion, improper surface preparation, and improper adhesive thickness. No other airframe or engine anomalies were noted. 

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The structural failure of both wings’ leading-edge slats, which resulted in a loss of airplane control.
 


The National Transportation Safety Board did not travel to the scene of this accident.

Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office;  Wasilla, Alaska 

Aviation Accident Factual Report - National Transportation Safety Board:  https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf

http://registry.faa.gov/N8008Z



NTSB Identification: ANC16LA068
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, September 16, 2016 in Wasilla, AK
Aircraft: JEFFERY D TUTTLE BDK Carbon Concepts, registration: N8008Z
Injuries: 1 Serious.

NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

On September 16, 2016, about 1104 Alaska daylight time, a tailwheel-equipped, experimental amateur-built, Tuttle BDK Carbon Concepts airplane, N8008Z, sustained substantial damage following an inflight structural failure of the leading-edge wing slats, followed by a loss of control, and subsequent impact with terrain. The accident occurred as the pilot was attempting to return for an emergency landing near Wasilla, Alaska. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot, as a visual flight rules (VFR) flight under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 when the accident occurred. The certificated commercial pilot, the sole occupant of the airplane sustained serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The local area flight departed Anderson Lake Airport, Wasilla, Alaska at about 1100 with a planned stop at Palmer Airport, Palmer, Alaska for touch-and-go landings prior to returning to Anderson Lake Airport.

During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) on September 21, the pilot reported, from his hospital room, that the accident flight was the first flight after he completed building the experimental, amateur-built airplane. He added that the airplane was equipped with carbon fiber, leading-edge wing slats, manufactured by Carbon Concepts LLC, Wasilla. 

The pilot said that after departure from Anderson Lake Airport, he flew the airplane westbound while climbing to an altitude of about 1,000 feet, followed by a turn to the east. After completing the turn to the east, the pilot heard a loud "pop" and he immediately saw that the airplane's left wing leading-edge wing slat had buckled and distorted making the airplane difficult to control about the longitudinal and vertical axis. He stated that while struggling to maintain control of the airplane he realized that he was too high to make an emergency, straight in approach to the Anderson Lake Airport, so he chose to overfly the airport while descending. He added that during the emergency descent to the airport, he was forced to make significant engine power adjustments in an effort to maintain control of the airplane. After overflying the airport, he made a right turn to begin the approach to the Anderson Lake Airport when the right wing leading-edge wing slat failed, resulting in almost a complete loss of control. He guided the airplane using the rudder and varying the engine power settings to an open road, with his main concern being not to cause undue harm to people or property on the ground. During the emergency descent the airplane struck the top of a tree before impacting the road in a nose low attitude, sustaining substantial damage to wings and fuselage. 

On September 29, 2016, the NTSB IIC, along with the rest of the investigative team examined the airframe and engine at a private residence in Wasilla. All the primary flight control surfaces remained connected to their respective attach points, and flight control continuity was verified from all of the primary flight control surfaces to the cockpit.

Each wing was equipped with three carbon fiber leading-edge slats located center, inboard and outboard. The right wing's leading-edge slats revealed features consistent with a compression failure of the leading edge, trailing edge bond failure, lack of adhesive in the joints, and ply bridging. In addition, the inboard slat attachment bracket exhibited deformation patterns consistent with an overload failure.

The left wing leading-edge slats had no apparent leading edge damage but revealed signatures consistent with resin starvation. In addition, the attach bracket between the inboard and center slat exhibited features consistent with an adhesive failure in the joint and a disbond at the attachment. Microscopic inspection of the attachment bracket revealed a lack of adhesion, improper surface preparation, and improper adhesive thickness. 

The propeller remained attached to the engine crankshaft and one of the propeller blades exhibited chordwise scratching. Examination of the Lycoming O-320-A2B engine revealed no anomalies, contamination, or evidence of malfunction in any of the engine accessories. The cylinders, pistons, valve train, crankshaft, and other internal components were all without evidence of anomaly or malfunction. 

The closest weather reporting facility is Wasilla Airport, Wasilla, Alaska about 8 miles southwest of the accident site. At 1056, an aviation routine weather report (METAR) at Wasilla, reported: wind from 070° at 5 knots; visibility, 10 statute miles; sky condition, scattered clouds 7,000 feet, scattered clouds 8,000 feet; temperature, 54° F; dew point 41° F; altimeter, 29.38 inHG. 


After repeated attempts, the pilot did not submit an NTSB Pilot/Operator Accident Report form (NTSB Form 6120.1) as required.

NTSB Identification: ANC16LA068
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, September 16, 2016 in Wasilla, AK
Aircraft: JEFFERY D TUTTLE BDK Carbon Concepts, registration: N8008Z
Injuries: 1 Serious.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

On September 16, 2016, about 1104 Alaska daylight time, a tailwheel-equipped, experimental amateur-built, Tuttle BDK Carbon Concepts airplane, N8008Z, sustained substantial damage following an in-flight structural failure of the leading-edge wing slats, followed by a loss of control, and subsequent impact with terrain. The accident occurred as the pilot was attempting to return for an emergency landing near Wasilla, Alaska. The airplane was registered to, and operated by, the pilot as a visual flight rules (VFR) flight under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 when the accident occurred. The certificated commercial pilot, the sole occupant of the airplane, sustained serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The local area flight departed Anderson Lake Airport, Wasilla, about 1100, with a planned stop at Palmer Airport, Palmer, Alaska, for touch-and-go landings prior to returning to Anderson Lake Airport. 

During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge on September 21, the pilot reported, from his hospital room, that the accident flight was the first flight after he completed building the experimental, amateur-built airplane. He added that the airplane was equipped with carbon fiber, leading-edge wing slats, manufactured by Carbon Concepts LLC, Wasilla. 

The pilot said that after departure from Anderson Lake Airport, he flew the airplane eastbound while climbing to an altitude of about 1,000 feet, followed by a turn to the west. After completing the turn to the west, the pilot heard a loud "pop" and he immediately saw that the airplane's left wing leading-edge wing slat had buckled and distorted making the airplane difficult to control about the longitudinal and vertical axis. He stated that while struggling to maintain control of the airplane he realized that he was too high to make an emergency, straight-in approach to the Anderson Lake Airport, so he chose to overfly the airport while descending. He added that during the emergency descent to the airport, he was forced to make significant engine power adjustments in an effort to maintain control of the airplane. After overflying the airport, he made a right turn to begin the approach to the Anderson Lake Airport when the right wing leading-edge wing slat failed, resulting in almost a complete loss of control. He guided the airplane using the rudder and varying the engine power settings to an open road, with his main concern being not to cause undue harm to people or property on the ground. During the emergency descent the airplane struck the top of a tree before impacting the road in a nose low attitude, sustaining substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. 

The closest weather reporting facility is Wasilla Airport. At 1056, an aviation routine weather report (METAR) at Wasilla, reported: wind from 070 degrees at 5 knots; visibility 10 statute miles; sky condition, scattered clouds 7,000 feet, scattered clouds 8,000 feet; temperature 54 degrees F; dew point 41 degrees F; altimeter 29.38 inHg.





WASILLA, Alaska (KTUU) - The pilot and sole occupant of a Super Cub airplane suffered serious but non-life threatening injuries when his aircraft crashed over a residential area near Wasilla.

Alaska State Troopers have identified the pilot as 34-year-old Jeffrey Tuttle from Palmer. According to troopers on the scene, the plane took off from Anderson Lake Airstrip near Bogard Road and Caribou Street at around 11:05 Friday afternoon.

Soon after takeoff, the aircraft experienced mechanical issues and Tuttle attempted to return to the airfield. As he was trying to land, the aircraft clipped several nearby trees and entered a nosedive, according to Mat Su Deputy Director of Emergency Services Ken Barkley.

The plane crashed near the fence of a business on Caribou Street near Bogard Road, its tail stick up in the air slightly over the roadway. When emergency responders arrived on scene, a group of bystanders had already pulled Tuttle from the damaged plane. He was transported to Mat Su Regional hospital for medical treatment.

There was no fire following the crash, however firefighters did discover a small fuel leak that they were able to stop, Barkley said. The plane sustained heavy damage to its nose while the tail and wings remained intact.

The Federal Aviation Administration was notified of the incident and is investigating the wreckage on behalf of the National Transportation Safety Board, according to troopers on scene. Caribou Street was closed through the afternoon as emergency personnel and investigators responded to the wreckage.

Source:   http://www.ktuu.com




WASILLA – Last updated at 1 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 16

A pilot survived a plane crash in Wasilla with injuries that are not considered life-threatening by local officials.

In an online dispatch, Alaska State Troopers identified the pilot of the plane as 34-year-old Jeffrey Tuttle, of Palmer.

Tuttle survived with serious injuries, troopers said, and told investigators his plane likely experienced mechanical issues shortly after taking off from a small airport in the area of Caribou Street and Bogard Road.

According to an email from Ken Barkley, Matanuska-Susitna Borough Fire deputy director, three hunters saw the plane crash on Caribou Street and helped get Tuttle out of the aircraft.

One of the hunters was an Anchorage Fire Department captain and paramedic, and gave the pilot first aid, Barkley said. He said the plane was trying to return to airport when the pilot experienced trouble and his left wing clipped nearby trees, which caused him to crash on Caribou Street.

Barkley said Tuttle was transported to Mat-Su Regional Medical Center for care of his injuries.

He said the fire department secured the batteries and fuel leak, and there was no fire in connection to the crash.

The plane was registered under tail number N8008Z to Tuttle, who owned the plane, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

Clint Johnson, a spokesman for the National Transportation Safety Board, said the agency had been notified and was investigating the crash.

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